Bet Your Towing Illegally!!!!! So Check Your Balls!!!!!!!

[the old grind]

OT, but how many of us are absolutely sure that our trailer tire ratings match our axle ratings.

I'd guess as many as half of mine don't.

 

[4570Man]

OT, but how many of us are absolutely sure that our trailer tire ratings match our axle ratings.

I'd guess as many as half of mine don't.

Mine do at least for the heavy trailer. It’s got four 3,000 pound in duel configuration on a 10k axel.

 

[aczlan]

OT, but how many of us are absolutely sure that our trailer tire ratings match our axle ratings.

I'd guess as many as half of mine don't.

Ours do, we have 2 1750# tires under a 3500# landscape trailer.
Granted, the 13" tires on the trailer that we haul a IBC tote of water on are probably not rated for that much weight, but it never goes on the road, or any faster than the RTV500 can tow it...

Aaron Z

 

[ultrarunner]

the weak link? i realize the ratings not there but how many have really failed??? the shear value on that 5/8 pin is plenty.

the real weak link in the buget trailers everyone buys that have a given rating because of axle size alone and not trailer design.


i'd be far more worried about your 7k trailer being 1k overloaded than the ball or pin thats holding it in being overloaded the same %. especially if your 16' trailer really only weighs 2k. my 20' 10k trailer is over 3k and is underbuilt. or think about all the 7k enclosed trailers going down the road, most weigh close to 4k, you really think they have less then 3k in side them. nope. for example i've never ever ever seen a contractors trailer that wasn't loaded way over its rating. i had to special over my enclosed, and went with 7k axles for a 14k gvw.

The way the receiver is set up the 5/8 pin really doesn't carry anything...

Maybe if the trailer was rear ended at sufficient speed the hitch could be shoved in and shear the pin?

Doubt any other scenario could do that.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I came to the conclusion as well while upgrading my set up a few years ago. I bought this 2in solid ball mount (15k) and a Curt ball to match (16k). All my receiver hitches are class 4 (10k & 1000-1200lb tongue). The class 5 uses a larger ball mount. That’s my 2 5/16 set up. My 2in ball set up is a 6k ball mount paired with a 7500lb ball. The trailers I have that take a 2in ball can’t haul more than that anyway.

 

[Texasmark]

Ok, so Let me explain,,,, Up until a year ago I been running a New Holland t1510 with loader Ballasted rear tires approximate total weight of say 5000 lbs Not exact just estimate. So i been pulling it around with my 1500 chevy no problems pushing the limits with 16 ft trailer but no problems. Then I go get A New Holland Workmaster 60 f.e.ll and Ballasted tires. Estimated weight 7000 lbs give or take. Realizing I needed a larger pull truck I found a 1985 ford 350 with the 460 and C6 trans Plenty of payload/gvwr of 15000 lbs. Then i got to looking at my trailer its a 20 ft hauler with a 7500 lb rating and it has a steel deck. So now i got to find me a trailer because 7000 plus 2000 lbs estimated trailer is more than 7500 lbs......:thumbsup: But in my quest i have ran into an interesting find that i think most people overlook.... The Receiver and ball and pin, now my f350 has a bumper hitch class 5 rated for 10,000 lbs. and 14000 with LOAD LEVELERS INSTALLED. So I got the receiver ........ But do you realize that most 2" hitch tubes are rated for 5000 to 7500 lbs. and then they are held in the receiver by only a 5/8 pin and that pin may or may not be rated for more than 5000 lbs. and on top of that the ball themselves may only have a rating of 5000 or 7500 lbs stamped on them,,, heck i just looked at a 2 5/16" ball at a local parts store today that only had a 8000 lb rating. Now i am no stickler here and have over loaded farm equipment to "get er Done" more than once but after looking around and only finding a few 2" hitches actually rated for 10,000 lbs. I'm taking a second look at a lot of towing stuff.

So CHECK YOUR BALLS!!!! and I bet you, and me, for now, are towing Illegally weather it be your Receiver, Your Hitch, Your Ball, or Your Pin that's the weak link It's worth a look and cheaper than the possible lawsuit after the accident to...... FIX IT NOW......

And YES to those of you who want to say it I know....Just get a Gooseneck...My reply Check you GVWR'S You may be surprised after you take your truck and trailer weight out just how little you can legally haul and don;t forget to take your weight out too ... But this is not the debate!!! Receiver Balls and Hitches are.......

Good research. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[cphilip]

When I was setting up my 20 foot equipment trailer I had to search out a solid tow bar to get above the GVWR or the trailer and its ball shaft diameter (tee hee) was larger than normal to also exceed what the rating was. The bar rates at 10,000 pounds and the 2" ball is rated at 8,000 pounds. The trailer is 7700 pound GVWR iirc. I used a large solid steel red handle tractor implement style pin of unknown rating but more substantial than traditional two bar pins.

 

[hawkeye08]

I have the Torklift SuperHitch Magnum (rated for 30,000lbs) with double receiver (one 2", one 2.5"). My car trailer uses a forged 2.5" shank with heavy duty ball (1 1/4" shaft). The travel trailer uses a double shank with 15,000lb head and 1,500lb spring bars. I replaced factory receiver on truck because it flexed and caused some bounce. No more bounce and hitch is certainly not the weak link.. (no, having a nice heavy hitch does not change the tow rating of truck). I also run Torklift StableLoads (just made first trip with them).

Also a reminder for folks, periodically, make sure to check tightness of fasteners annually.

 

[joefromga]

I'll bet 99%+ trailer crashes/failures are due to user error (inexperienced driver, improper weight distribution causing death wobble or bad load securing) and incorrect tires and overweight causing bearings/axles to fail.

The wrong size ball is also user error. How many times have you seen a 2" trailer on a 1-7/8 ball?

I'll bet its never because you ripped an otherwise good condition ball or hitch pin apart.

 

[bdog]

I have broken a receiver hitch before. It was not overloaded. The manufacturer paid for the damages.

Solid hitches are the way to go.

The 5/8" pins are not a weak link. Even 3" hitches with 20k ratings use 5/8" pins.